Author: Kalantarian Kevo

OSCE Minsk Group re-launches work as Azerbaijan yields to international pressure

Kalantarian Kevo

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 10:09, 7 October, 2021

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 7, ARMENPRESS. Eugene Chausovsky, Consultant with the Analytical Development department and a Non-Resident Fellow at the Washington, D.C.-based Newlines Institute think-tank, says the gradual resumption of the OSCE Minsk Group negotiation process and the resumption of the Armenian-Azerbaijani dialogue over the Karabakh issue within the Minsk Group are a positive signal, however he doesn’t expect major changes from the Minsk process.

Mr. Chausovsky told Armenpress that the recent meeting of the Armenian and Azerbaijani foreign ministers in New York under the mediation of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs, which was the first meeting after the 2020 Artsakh War, shows the readiness of the Armenian and Azerbaijani sides to resume the negotiations. However, the American analyst is not sure that “the Minsk Group is going to be the primary channel through which actual progress is made” in the Karabakh diplomacy.

“It’s difficult to say to what extent the Minsk Group will be effective, but certainly we have seen some positive signals recently on the diplomatic front. I am not sure that the Minsk Group is going to be the primary channel through which, you know, actual progress is made”, he said, however calling the willingness of the sides to resume the negotiations a positive signal. “But I think the main constraints to any kind of major diplomatic breakthrough are still there. So I don’t expect any major changes, but the fact that they are willing to revise these talks is at least a positive signal”.

The expert has also commented on the disagreements between the Minsk Group Co-Chair countries – Russia on the one hand, and the US and France, on the other hand, connected with the comprehensive settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict and in particular, the status of Artsakh.

The problem was that after the war, which ended by the statement on the ceasefire signed by the leaders of Russia, Armenia and Azerbaijan, Moscow was putting an emphasis on the implementation of the Russia-Armenia-Azerbaijan trilateral statements signed on 2020 November 9 and 2021 January 11, whereas the western co-chairs, particularly Washington were calling for resuming the substantive negotiations within the Minsk Group Co-Chairmanship format, putting the focus on clarifying the status of Nagorno Karabakh.

However, in early September, Moscow, in the person of the Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova, started to change its rhetoric, expressing support to the activation of the work of the Co-Chairs for settling the Karabakh conflict based on the existing mandate. And shortly after this statement, the meeting organized by the Co-Chairs took place in New York.

According to Eugene Chausovsky, Russia, of course, would like to keep the process under its control in line with the Minsk Group, through alternative formats, however, the ceasefire violations in recent months and the instability of the security situation have forced Moscow to seriously think about resuming the Minsk Group Co-Chairmanship process.

“Russia doesn’t want to leave those discussion channels closed completely especially given the instability in the region. That’s probably one factor why Russia is more willing to hold such kind of negotiations”, he said.

Russian political scientist Alexander Skakov also gave a comment to ARMENPRESS on the topic, in particular touching upon the fact that Azerbaijan has eventually made a concession, agreeing to meet with the Armenian side under the auspices of the Minsk Group Co-Chairs.

“Azerbaijan shows willingness to negotiate, but this willingness doesn’t mean that it will definitely negotiate literally. In other words, Azerbaijan will try to show that it is ready to negotiate, will talk about it at this or that platform, but in fact it won’t negotiate around anything. This is Baku’s policy in this particular case”, Mr. Skakov said.

 

Interview by Aram Sargsyan

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

Podcasts on domestic violence and violence against women in Armenia

Kalantarian Kevo
Council of Europe
Sept 27 2021
YEREVAN 24/09/21

Armenian experts Lusine Sargyan and Gohar Hakobyan address these and many other questions related to violence against women in Armenia, its manifestations, its direct link to gender inequalities and the available legal support and social services. They also discuss international instruments on the topic, such as the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (known as the Istanbul Convention) and state polices. 

The podcasts reached about 65,000 engagements on social media and other digital platforms, such as sound-cloud and anchor. 

You can learn more by hearing the podcasts in Armenian:

 Domestic violence in Armenia: its manifestations

 Gender inequality and gender-based violence

The podcasts are part of activities to increase awareness of the public on domestic violence and violence against women, its consequences, prevention and support mechanisms in Armenia. They were produced in the framework of the project “The Path towards Armenia’s Ratification of the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence”.

Moscow’s Rebuke of Aliyev’s Threats

Kalantarian Kevo
by Asbarez Staff

 

 

 

in Armenia, Artsakh, Featured Story, Latest, News, Top Stories

Russia’s Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Alexei Zaytsev

Confrontational rhetoric does not contribute to overcoming disagreements, Russia’s Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Alexei Zaytsev told reporters on Thursday, in an apparent rebuke of Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev, who has continuously threatened that Baku will open the so-called “Zangezur Corridor,” linking Azerbaijan proper with Nakhichevan through Armenia.

“Instead, it is extremely important to create opportunities for finding mutually acceptable solutions,’’ advised Zaytsev, adding that both Baku and Yerevan have expressed, at the highest level, their “readiness to open a new page in relations and a gradual normalization of relations.’’

Saying that Russia is proponent of “such positive approaches,” Zaytsev added that the working group tasked to address the unblocking of transport routes in the South Caucasus continues its efforts with the participation of the deputy prime ministers of Russia, Armenia and Azerbaijan.

“For our part, we welcome the positive attitude of Baku and Yerevan towards reaching mutually acceptable, package agreements, which in the future will give an opportunity to jointly advance toward a partnership,’’ said Zaytsev.

The foreign ministry official also said that Moscow is hopeful that a proposed visit by the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs to the region will contribute to the organization of a meeting between the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan.

‘’Russia has always believed that constant dialogue, particularly at the highest level, contributes to the ensuring of mutual understanding and finding solutions to problematic issues in a constructive atmosphere,” said Zaytsev.

He also said that Russia is continuing to work with Yerevan and Baku to ensure the return of Armenian prisoners of war in exchange for maps of minefields, which he said will help normalize relations between the two countries.

Turkish press: Turkey’s Baykar rolls out its vertical take-off, landing drone

Kalantarian Kevo
 ISTANBUL TECH 
SEP 23, 2021 1:49 PM GMT+3

Baykar’s vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) is on display at Turkey’s largest technology and aviation event, Teknofest, in Istanbul, Turkey, Sept. 23, 2021. (AA Photo)

Leading defense company Baykar has unveiled for the first time its newly designed drone that can hover, take off and land vertically at Turkey’s largest technology and aviation event, Teknofest.

The flight tests of the vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) are due to be completed soon. Mass production and delivery phases are expected to start in 2022.

The new UAV does not need a landing track and can take off from several different places, including naval or mobile platforms, said Burak Özbek, an air vehicle design engineer at Baykar, which is already known worldwide for its landmark Bayraktar TB2 and Akıncı drones.

The UAV takes off using its four electric engines, then flies using its internal combustion engine, Özbek told Anadolu Agency (AA) Thursday.

“We are currently completing flight tests, after which we hope that we will be able to see their mass production and delivery in 2022,” he said.

Thanks to its hybrid engine system, the UAV can fly up to 12 hours, the engineer said, adding that its engine can also charge the vehicle’s battery.

It has a take-off weight is 50 kilograms (110 pounds) and can carry 5 kilograms of useful loads, like thermal cameras, laser designators or distance meters, Özbek said.

Baykar’s vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) is on display at Turkey’s largest technology and aviation event, Teknofest, in Istanbul, Turkey, Sept. 23, 2021. (AA Photo)

With a wingspan of 5 meters (16 feet), the UAV is capable of taking off from a 20-meter by 20-meter (66-foot by 66-foot) area.

“Its operational altitude is 9,000 feet (2,743 meters) but it can fly up to 15,000 feet,” Özbek said, adding its flying speed is around 40-50 knots.

The UAV is an observer drone and Baykar works with domestic and foreign partners on the systems installed in it, he said.

The company said that the tested UAV is equipped with an engine produced by Turkish engine maker Erin Motors.

This engine has an electronic fuel injection system, making it much more reliable, he said, adding that there are only a few similar UAVs in the world.

The UAV technology is in direct proportion to battery technology, he stressed and said its new versions have a higher capacity for carrying ammo.

Stressing that the avionics, electronic systems and software in this UAV have already proven themselves in the Bayraktar TB2 and Akıncı UAVs, he explained that Baykar uses the same systems for all of its vehicles.

One of the biggest aviation events in the world, Teknofest kicked off Tuesday, drawing thousands of aerospace and technology enthusiasts to Atatürk Airport.

The six-day event is hosting a range of activities, from air shows featuring warplanes, UAVs and helicopters, to seminars, summits, competitions and fairs.

The 2021 edition has seen some technology competitions take place prior to the main event. The festival features dozens of competitions in categories like smart transportation, helicopter design, biotechnology, robotics, flying cars, rockets and unmanned underwater systems.

Organized by the T3 Foundation and the Industry and Technology Ministry, Teknofest is held in various Turkish cities in even years and in the metropolis of Istanbul in odd years.

Over 200,000 students in 45 teams applied for this year’s competitions, marking a significant increase from the previous three years.

Around 100,000 visitors are allowed in an area of 450,000 square meters (4.84 million square feet) at the same time due to pandemic-related measures.

Last year, the event was organized virtually in southern Gaziantep province due to pandemic measures. In 2019, some 1.72 million people visited the event in Istanbul.

Russian peacekeepers provided educational institutions of Artsakh with drinking water tanks

Kalantarian Kevo
Panorama, Armenia
Sept 24 2021

Russian peacekeepers, together with the association of charitable organizations, handed over 14 tanks for storing drinking water as part of a humanitarian action to provide school and preschool institutions in Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh).

As the Russian Ministry of Defense reported, every day, peacekeepers fill the tanks with water using water carriers. Currently, military peacekeepers provide more than 1.5 thousand children with drinking water every day on the territory of Nagorno-Karabakh.

In total, the philanthropists purchased 21 tanks for storing drinking water, some of which have already been delivered from Russia and transferred by Russian peacekeepers to schools and kindergartens in Artsakh.

Asbarez: EDITORIAL: A Milestone Anniversary at a Time When Independence is in Jeopardy

Kalantarian Kevo
by Editor

 

 

 

in Armenia, Artsakh, Editorial, Featured Story, Latest, Op-Ed, Top Stories

Independence Day in Yerevan on September 21, 1991

No one can forget the pride and elation felt by every Armenian when 30 years ago today—September 21, 1991—Armenia shed its dependence from the Soviet Union and became an independent nation. Every year on September 21 we, as a Nation, affirm our commitment to Armenia’s statehood and reflect on the fact that this independence has lasted longer and continues to prosper.

So, the 30th anniversary of Armenia’s independence is a bittersweet one. On the one hand, marking 30 years of independence is a source of pride and a reaffirmation of Armenia’s right to self-determination. On the other hand, the current realities plaguing and jeopardizing Armenia’s sovereignty makes one wonder whether our homeland’s fragile independence is threatened.

Soon after the 29th anniversary of Armenia’s independence, our enemies—Azerbaijan and Turkey—launched full throttle attack on Artsakh, as a result of which thousands of Armenian soldiers and civilians were killed and territories in Artsakh were being surrendered to Azerbaijan.

Today, a similar scenario is playing out on Armenia’s borders, where Azerbaijani forces have set up positions in the Gegharkunik and Syunik provinces, while simultaneously attacking regions in the Ararat Province border Nakhichevan.

Armenia’s authorities, on the other hand, are advancing a nebulous policy of “peace in the region,” and advancing the notion of opening borders with Azerbaijan and engaging in dangerous negotiations with Turkey to normalize relations—all forced upon Yerevan by Armenia’s “strategic ally,” Russia.

It became apparent last week that after signing the defeatist November 9 agreement, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan in December had relinquished a 13-mile stretch of the Goris-Kapan Highway in the Syunik Province—a provision not delineated in the agreement.

The events of the past week, and the past year, have come to solidify a nagging reality that for 30 years, Armenians around the world who rallied to protect and strengthen the Armenian homeland were unaware of lingering border demarcation issues, which were inherited from the Soviet times and not addressed by successive governments and leaders.

Today, as we mark the 30th anniversary of Armenia’s Independence, protecting, buttressing and nurturing that independence has become an existential imperative, for which, more than ever, national unity and consolidation of efforts is critical if we are to hold on to our independent homeland.

The time has come for all political forces in Armenia, be they within or outside of the decision-making echelon, must advance policies that do not jeopardize Armenia’s sovereignty, and more important, ensure that those policies are not more beneficial to outside players, some of whom pretend to be our “strategic” ally.

There is not alternative to independence and after 30 years, as fragile and tenuous as it might be, we, as Armenians, have a duty and responsibility to ensure its perseverance and vitality.

The past year has been marred and marked by unimaginable losses for our nation. As difficult as it may be, given that we have not collectively grieved as a nation, let this milestone anniversary of Armenia’s independence serve as that crucial springboard that we need to gather our strength and recommit ourselves to Armenia, Artsakh and prosperity of our homeland, because our hard-won independence cannot—and must not—be compromised and it must be preserved at all costs.

New Armenian delegations to PACE, PABSEC and Euronest confirmed

Kalantarian Kevo

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 15:58,

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 16, ARMENPRESS. The National Assembly’s Council held an extraordinary meeting to confirm the compositions of the Armenian delegations to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), the Euronest Parliamentary Assembly and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organization (PABSEC).

Vice Speaker of Parliament Ruben Rubinyan from the ruling Civil Contract party will lead the Armenian delegation to PACE. Members of the delegation include Nazeli Baghdasaryan (Civil Contract), Vladimir Vardanyan (Civil Contract), Sona Ghazaryan (Civil Contract), Eduard Aghajanyan (Civil Contract), Armen Gevorgyan (Hayastan bloc), Armen Rustamyan (Hayastan bloc) and Hayk Mamijanyan (Pativ Unem bloc).

In Euronest PA, the Armenian delegation will be led by Maria Karapetyan (Civil Contract). Members of the delegation include Arman Yeghoyan (Civil Contract), Babken Tunyan (Civil Contract), Sargis Khandanyan (Civil Contract), Meri Galstyan (Civil Contract), Tatevik Gasparyan (Civil Contract), Artur Khachatryan (Hayastan bloc), Anna Grigoryan (Hayastan bloc), Artur Ghazinyan (Hayastan bloc) and Hayk Mamijanyan (Pativ Unem bloc).

The delegation to PABSEC, led by Babken Tunyan (Civil Contract), is composed of Anush Beghloyan (Civil Contract), Sergey Bagratyan (Civil Contract) and Aghvan Vardanyan (Hayastan bloc).

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan

WB ready to assist Armenia in the implementation of its new strategy

Kalantarian Kevo

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 18:30, 6 September, 2021

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 6, ARMENPRESS. Deputy Prime Minister of Armenia Mher Grigoryan received World Bank (WB) Regional Director for South Caucasus Sebastian Molineus and the newly appointed Country Manager of the World Bank for Armenia Carolin Geginat. During the meeting Carolin Geginat noted that the WB is ready to assist the Armenian Government in the implementation of its new strategy by bringing to Armenia the best international practice and knowledge.

As ARMENPRESS was informed from the Office of Mher Grigoryan, at the beginning of the meeting, greeting the guests, Deputy PM Mher Grigoryan congratulated Carolin Geginat on appointment and wished productive work, assuring that the Government of Armenia will support her during the implementation of the important mission.

Deputy Prime Minister Mher Grigoryan presented to the WB officials the main goals approved by the new program of the Government, highlighting particularly the reforms in the spheres of human capital development, infrastructure development and economy. From the perspective of economic development, Mher Grigoryan emphasized the steps to be taken towards the development of the capital market.

WB Regional Director for South Caucasus Sebastian Molineus congratulated the Deputy PM on the re-appointment and introduced the newly appointed Country Manager of the World Bank for Armenia.

Carolin Geginat thanked for the reception and noted that the World Bank is ready to assist the Government in the implementation of its new strategy by bringing to Armenia the best international practice and knowledge.

During the meeting, the interlocutors referred to the jointly implemented programs and prospects for the development of cooperation. From the point of view of maintaining public health, countering the pandemic, as well as economic development, both sides highlighted the vaccination process.

At the suggestion of the Deputy Prime Minister, an agreement was reached to hold an extended discussion on the programs implemented by the World Bank in Armenia in the near future to clarify the future activities.

Office of Armenian National Committee to be established in Artsakh

Kalantarian Kevo

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 14:58, 31 August, 2021

YEREVAN, AUGUST 31, ARMENPRESS. The Office of the Armenian National Committee will be established in Artsakh by the decision of the ARF Bureau, taking into account the humanitarian, security and moral-psychological challenges caused by the recent war, the Central Office of the Armenian National Committee said in a statement.

“The establishment of the ANC Office in Artsakh is a clear political message that the protection of rights of the people of Artsakh, the international recognition of the Republic of Artsakh, the elimination of the consequences of war and the recovery of Artsakh remain the key issues and political priorities of the activity of the ANC global network”, the statement says.

On September 2 the ANC Central Office is expected to hold an official reception in Stepanakert on the occasion of the establishment of their office in Artsakh.

 

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan